A US woman who shot and killed her husband and two adult children before taking her own life is thought to have committed the shocking crime as a result of being ostracised from the religion she was raised in.

A federal judge sentenced a former Arkansas judge Wednesday to five years in prison — a stiffer punishment than prosecutors recommended — after he admitted giving young male defendants lighter sentences in return for personal benefits that included sexual favours.

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"Hopefully in some way this makes him a better person," he told reporters while other family members stood by his side.

In sentencing Lehn, Judge Paul Conlon said the then 24-year-old had smoked ice just half an hour before the incident.

He also did not know how to drive a manual car and hadn't slept in days.

After hitting Mr McCarroll, Lehn later told police that people screamed at him from inside the house.

"Freaking out", Lehn ran because he was "scared and just wanted to have a hot shower, feed and spend time with his family as he wasn't ready to go to jail", Judge Conlon said.

A witness attempted to revive Mr McCarroll but the grandfather died in hospital.

"Police saw Mr McCarroll's gold rimmed sunglasses on the grassed nature strip, his watch and a black shoe at the bottom of the veranda stairs and his groceries scattered in the front yard," Judge Conlon said.

After the accident, Lehn called his uncle a "f***ing dog" for handing him in to police.

He later pleaded guilty to stealing a motor vehicle and aggravated dangerous driving occasioning death.

The court heard a passenger told Lehn to slow down before the crash.

Lehn will be eligible for parole in June 2021.

His victim's daughter, Helen Coe, said no sentence would be satisfying.